EU lawmaker quits after suspension over Ukraine stance

An ex-member of the right-wing Identity and Democracy group wants to start another, oriented toward peace

Dutch MEP Marcel de Graaff has publicly quit Identity and Democracy, the right-wing parliamentary group that last week handed him a three-month suspension due to his “outrageous” comments against western involvement in Ukraine on social media, he announced on Monday, denouncing the group’s “attempt to silence me about NATO/Ukraine.”

“There is no room for a different opinion in the ID group,” de Graaff lamented in a press release posted to Twitter. “Members are now forced to follow the position of the parties ruling in their own countries. They have sacrificed their principles for power, but I am not prepared to do that.” 

“I am in favor of de-escalating the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and I distance myself from the extremely belligerent position of the ID group,” the MEP declared. “We are waging a war that is not ours and our citizens are paying the price.”

I'm leaving the ID group in the European Parliament. Their attempt to silence me about NATO/Ukraine is indigestible. We must de-escalate the war with Russia. It's not our war, but our people are paying the price. I want to form a new group that supports this! pic.twitter.com/q2JyuaXXXn

— Marcel de Graaff